Centrifugal pump



Nov. 1 7, 1953 G. H. SCHAFFER CENTRIF'UGAL PUMP Filed June 20, 1949 M xzw w Patented Nov. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CENTRIFUGAL PUMPGeorge H. Schafi'er, Waterbury, Conn. Application Juneau, 1940, SerialNo. 100,110

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improvement in centrifugal pumps forpumping liquids, such,-for example, as water and other liquids.

It is the main object of this invention to provide a centrifugal liquidpump of improved efficiency by reducing the frictional resistance of theliquid in its passage through the pump.

It is another object of this invention to provide a more eificient pumpby providing" an improved type of spiral screw conveyor, in connectionwith the rotor of the pump.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a more efiicientcentrifugal pump by combining the advantages of saidimproved spiralscrew conveyor rotor with liquid deflecting blades at one-end adapted todeflectand direct the intake liquids into the path of the screw conveyorrotor member, and a squirrel cage'blade arrangement at the other end toaid in deflecting and directing the liquids at the discharge end.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised theconstruction illustrated. in the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention isnot limited to the specific details of construction and arrangementshown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scopeof the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a left end'view partly in section; of Fig.1,and Fig. 3 is aright end view partly in section, of Fjg 1 Y 'In the preferredembodiment illustrated in the drawing, a longitudinal cylindrical pumphousing generally designated it comprises an upper section Mia and alower section Hlb. Thelower section I b is provided with mounting. legsll, an inlet port I2 and an outlet or discharge port l3. Both upper andlower sections I (la and Nb are provided with co-acting continuousflanges M for water-tight connection aroundtheirlongitudinal andtransverse sides atthe point where both sections are joined, saidflanges being provided with spaced and aligned holes, the holes in theflange of the lower section lflb being preferably screwthreaded toreceive threaded screws or studs l5.

In the radial center of each'end' of the assembled housing a circularaperture [6 is provided with screw threads around its periphery adaptedto engage external screw threads of packing nuts or followers Ila and Ilb for the usual packing I'Ic, v

The longitudinal circular wall 22 of chamber 2m is or substantiallyuniform diameter for a short longitudinal distanceat the location nearthe inlet port [2.

outlet port (3, at which the tapered wall 22a of the chamber 2|aterminates, and forms the inner.

periphery of ashoulder 23.

stitutes one transverse end Transverse end wall Ilicof the outlet portI3 constitutes the Shoulder 23 conof chamber 2lb. housing near the witheach other opening 24b at ing on the size of the pump.

The tapered sleeve 26 is open at its large end on-which is bolted a ring28 carrying radially extending blades 29 which are inclined, as shownvaried as desired and dependin Fig. 1, in the direction of rotation sotheir forward free edges are ahead of their rear edges. The hub of thering 28 and blades 29 is a grooved ring 30 adapted to of the housing,through the be splined or keyed at to a drive shaft 3i longitudinallyextending out packing nut i6a,

and journalled in bearing arm I80, by a suitable bearing and adapted tobe driven by a gear,

sprocket or pulley drive 32 by power means, such, for example, as anelectric or other motor 33.

The tapered sleeve 26 is likewise open at its narrow end, and attachedto the sleeve at said narrow end is a squirrel cage type of bladearrangement in which a plurality of spacedand inclined blades with thesleeve member 26 and mounted 35b to rotate on the same The blades 34 areFig. 3, backtheir tween rings 35a and center as the sleeve member.preferably inclined as shown in wardly from the direction of rotation so34 are arranged longitudinally 15 outer edges are rearwardly of theinner edges, so that their counterclockwise rotation as viewed in Fig. 3will carry and deflect liquids into outlet port i3. size to rotatewithin chamber The rings 35a and 35b are of suitable 2ib leaving only avery small clearance between the wall 24 and the periphery of saidrings.

A circular disc ing shaft 31 is bolted to ring 351) so 36 having alaterally extendthat shaft 31 extends through packing nut lib andjournals in bearing of bearing arm i8b.

Clearance between outer tapered wall of sleeve 26 and inner tapered wall22a of the housing should be only large enough to allow free rotation ofthe sleeve within the housing.

Thus it can be seen that the rotor of my pump comprises a combination ofthree elements, viz.: a tapered longitudinal tubular sleeve or shell 26provided with internal spiral feed ribs 21, a plurality of spaced,inclined deflecting blades 29 radially disposed about the axis of thesleeve and mounted transversely at the large opening on the sleeve, anda squirrel cage blade arrangement 3! connected to the sleeve at itssmaller opening.

The rotor sleeve member 26 maybe made integral, but it is preferred thatit be cast in two longitudinal sections and bolted together to effectmanufacturing economies, or the completerotor including the radiallydisposed transverse defleeting blades at the large opening of thesleeveand the squirrel cage rings and blades, including the splined or keyedhub rings, may be made by casting in two longitudinal sections, eachsection being integral, thus eliminating the need for mounting andbolting the blade members onto each end of the sleeve.

ward movement to uid into chamber liquid into and out of the outlet porti3.

the liquid, pushing the liq- 2lb where blades 34 of the squirrel cagearrangement deflect and throw the The tapered shape of the sleeve aidsthe spiral ribs in channeling as the centrifugal the liquids intochamber 2!!) force due to rotation of this sleeve throws them out to andmaintains them on the inner surface of this sleeve.

One of the advantages of my invention lies in the arrangement that theinterior wall of the sleeve 26 rotates with the liquids as distinguishedfrom devices in which the propelling means pumps water throughstationary chamber walls, thereby reducing friction with the wall.Another advantage is in the arrangement eliminating screw conveyorblades of the type extending to the center or axis of rotation, andsubstituting in my invention a type of spiral conveyor thread on theinner surface of a sleeve or shell leaving a wide opening or free spaceat the center between opposite peripheral edges of the threads, thusalso diminishing resistance and friction.

Another advantage of my invention is in combining the deflecting andpumping action of the blades 29 and 34 with the action of the sleeve 26,thereby accomplishing more efficient pumping.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

1. A centrifugal pump for pumping water and other liquids comprising alongitudinal housing member provided at one end with an inlet port andthe other end with an outlet port, the interior walls of the housing soformed as to provide two longitudinal chambers communicating with eachother, one of the chamber beginning at the transverse end wall near theinlet port and tapering inwardly from a point near the inlet port to apoint just before the outlet port, the other chamber being ofsubstantially shorter longitudinal dimension than the first chamber andof substantially uniform diameter, the diameter of the smaller chamberbeing larger than the diameter of the large chamber at that point wherethe taper terminates; a rotor member within the housing comprising atapered, hollow, tubular sleeve adapted to freely rotate within thetapered walls of the large chamber, a continuous spiral conveyor threadprotruding from the interior wall of the sleeve, radially disposed andspaced blades mounted transversely on the sleeve at its large opening,said blades being inclined to deflect liquid into the sleeve whenrotated, a hub at the radial center of the blades, a drive shaft engagedin the hub and extending out of the housing, a bearing for the shaft, asquirrel cage blade assembly attached to the tapered sleeve at itssmaller opening and adapted to 2'0- tate within the smaller chamber, adisc attached to the outer transverse side or the squirrel cage, a shaftattached to and laterally extending from the radial center of the discthrough the housing, a bearing for the latter shaft, and power means todrive the first mentioned shaft, whereby the rotor, the first mentionedblades, and the squirrel cage will rotate simultaneously within asubstantially watertight housing, draw liqui into the inlet port, thefirst mentioned blades deflecting the entering liquid into the rotatingtapered sleeve, the liquid carried forward by the spiral conveyorthreads into the smaller chamber and deflected towards and out of theoutlet port by the squirrel cage blades.

2. A centrifugal pump comprising a, longitudinal housing having an inletand an outlet port, aligned bearings at opposite longitudinal ends ofthe housing, said housing formed on the inside to provide twolongitudinal circular chambers communicating with each other, one ofsaid chambers being longitudinally larger than the other and taperedinwardly towards the smaller chamber, the smaller chamber having alarger diameter than the diameter at the small end of of the largechamber and the diameter of the small chamber being substantiallyuniform throughout its longitudinal dimension; a rotor contained withinthe housing comprising a longitudinal sleeve tapered and adapted torotate withn the tapered at its larger opening, to the hub and extendingout of the housingat and the blades of the squirrel cage deflecting theof the outlet port.

3. The combination in a centrifugal pump comprising a longitudinalsubstantially cylindrical housing provided with an inlet and an outletport, the walls of means to drive one of the shafts, whereby rotation ofthe rotor will draw liquids into the housing from the inlet port anddeflect the liquids into the sleeve, the spiral threads propelling theliquid into the squirrel cage, and the squirrel cage blades deflect theliquid out of the outlet port.

4. Zhe combination in a centrifugal pump comprising a housing providedwith an inlet and an outlet port, means for mounting the housing to abase, bearing means for a shaft protruding out of the housing, the wallsof the housing being formed to provide two longitudinal communicatinground chambers, one or" said chambers being longer than the other, thelonger chamber being tapered inwardly toward the shorter chamber, thediameter of the shorter chamber being larger than the opening at thesmall end of the tapered chamber, a rotor member comprising alongitudinal tubular tapered sleeve provided with spiral conveyorthreads on its interior wall, a foraminous disc made up of a pluralityof radially spaced and inclined blades connected transversely across thelarge opening of the sleeve, a squirrel cage blade member connected tothe other transverse end of the sleeve, shaft means journalled in thebearings adapted to rotate the rotor member, and power means to drivethe shafting, whereby rotation of the rotor will draw liquid into thehousing from the inlet port and deflect the liquid into the sleeve, thespiral threads propelling the liquid into the squirrel cage, and thesquirrel cage blades deflecting the liquid out of the outlet port.

5. The combination in a centrifugal pump, of

rotatable movement within the housing with a minimum of clearancebetween the outer periphery of the sleeve and the adjacent walls ofpower means to drive the shaft means, whereby rotation of the rotormember within the housing will provide a pumping action to draw liquidsinto the housing and deflect them into the sleeve where the spiral ribswill further propel them into the squirrel cage where the action of theblades of the squirrel cage will deflect the liquid towards and out ofthe outlet port.

6. In a centrifugal pump, the combination of a rotor member comprising atapered tubular sleeve provided. with spiral ribs protruding a short distance from its interior wall, a plurality of blades radially spacedabout the longitudinal axis of the sleeve attached at the transverse endof the sleeve outlet end of the sleeve and connected with the sleeve torotate with it, a housing enclosing the rotor member, the housing beingprovided with an inlet and an outlet port, drive shaft means connectedto the rotor member, bearing means, the shaft means protruding out ofthe housing and journalled in the bearing means, and power means todrive the rotor, whereby rotation of the rotor member within the housingwill provide a pumping action to draw liquids into the housing anddeflect them into the sleeve where the spiral ribs will further propelthem into the path of the longitudinal blades at the oulet end where theaction of the last mentioned blades will deflect the liquidtoward theoutlet port,

7. The combination in a centrifugal pump of a rotor member comprising alongitudinal tubular sleeve provided with spiral ribs protruding a shortdistance from its interior wall, a plurality of inclined bladesconnected to the sleeve to rotate therewith and radially disposed in thecenter of the inlet end of the sleeve to deflect liquid into the sleeve,and a squirrel cage blade rotor attached to the other transverse end ofthe sleeve to rotate with it and having its radial center in alignmentwith the first blades, a housing enclosing the rotor member and providedwith an inlet and an outlet port at the opposite ends thereof, and shaftmeans engaging the rotor for rotating it, and driving means for theshaft means.

8. The combination in a centrifugal pump of a rotor member comprising alongitudinal tubular sleeve provided with spiral ribs protruding a shortdistance from its interior wall, a plurality of inclined blades radiallydisposed about the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and attached theinlet end of the sleeve to rotate with it and to deflect liquid into thesleeve, a squirrel cage blade member attached to the other end of thesleeve to rotate with it, a. housing having an inlet and an outlet portat opposite ends of the sleeve and enclosing the rotor member, bearingand shaft means for supporting and rotating the rotor member, wherebyrotation of the rotor member within the housing will provide a pumpingaction to draw liquids into the housing and deflect them into the sleevewhere the spiral ribs will further propel them into the squirrel cagewhere the action of the squirrel cage blades will deflect the liquidsout of the outlet port, and means for rotating the shaft.

9. The combination in a centrifugal pump comprising a housin having aninlet and an outlet port. a rotatabl longitudinal tubular sleeve havingspiral screw thread ribs protruding a short distance into the sleevefrom its interior wall, rotatable means adapted to deflect and propelfluids into one end of the sleeve, rotatable means at the other end ofthe sleeve adapted to propel and deflect fluid from the sleeve to theoutlet port, the housing enclosing all of the rotatable members withinitself, means to rotate the rotatable members, whereby the rotation ofthe rotating members will produce a pumping action to draw in liquidsthrough the inlet port and direct or deflect the liquids into the sleevewhere they are further propelled by the spiral ribs toward the otherrotatable deflecting means and by the last mentioned means propelled anddefiected out of the outlet port.

10. In a centrifugal pump, the combination comprising a housing havingan inlet and an outlet port and a longitudinal tubular sleeve rotatablycontained in the housing, spiral conveyor screw threads of rib-likeconstruction protruding a short distance from the interior wall of thesleeve, means at one end of the sleeve and rotating with the sleeve todeflect liquids into the sleeve, means at the other end of the sleeveand rotating with it to deflect liquids from the sleeve into the outletport, and means to rotate the deflecting means and the sleeve within thehousing.

11. The combination in a centrifugal pump of a rotor comprising alongitudinal tubular sleeve provided with spiral thread of rib-likeconstruction protruding a short distance from the interior wall or thesleeve so as to leave the central-portion open and unobstructed, and ahousing provided with an inlet and an outlet port and containing therotor within itself in rotating position, deflector blades at the inletand outlet ends of the sleeve and rotatable therewith to respectivelydeflect liquids from the inlet port into the sleeve and from the sleeveto the outlet port, and means for rotating the rotor.

12. The combination in a centrifugal pump of a rotor member comprising alongitudinal tubular sleeve provided on its interior surface with aspiral conveyor thread projecting a short distance above said surface, aspaced blade disc attached transversely to one end of the sleeve torotate therewith, the blades of the disc being radially disposed aboutthe longitudinal axis of the sleeve and inclined to deflect liquid intothe sleeve, and a housing having an inlet and an outlet port, thehousing containing the rotor membet, and means to rotate the rotormember within the housing.

13. The combination in a centrifugal pump of a rotor member comprising alongitudinal tubular sleeve provided with spiral conveyor thread on itsinterior surface projecting a short distance above said surface, asquirrel cage blade member connected to the outlet end of the sleeve,the interior chamber of the squirrel cage com municating wrth thechamber of the sleeve, means at the inlet end of the sleeve androtatable with the sleeve to deflect liquids into the sleeve, andhousing means including an inlet and an outlet port enclosing the sleeveand the squirrel cage, and means for rotating the sleeve and squirrelcage within the housing.

GEORGE H. SCHAFFER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

